This disclosure relates to a hand-held optical identification system developed for use in the fabrication of nuclear fuel bundle assemblies.
Where large volumes of fuel pins are required in a nuclear facility, automated methods of fuel pin accountability are needed during the fuel bundle assembly process. A six digit alpha-numeric identification is conventionally roll-stamped by the manufacturer about the circumference of each fuel pin top end cap. However, during the fuel bundle assembly process, this identification number usually becomes physically unreadable. A laser etching system has been previously developed to scribe the fuel pin identification number on the fuel pin end cap top surface. This disclosure describes a hand-held optical identification apparatus for reading the laser etched identification number.
The described optical apparatus is used in conjunction with optical character recognition circuitry not described in detail herein. This circuitry receives digitized information from the apparatus and processes such information to convert it to usable data. The general nature of the required circuitry is common to other optical character recognition applications.